Pneuma
by Lady Red Buck
Summary: Giyu Tomioka discovers a demon named Hanako, who dons her grandfather's demon slayer uniform and refuses to devour humans. Can he turn her into a weapon for the Demon Slayer Corps, or will she ultimately surrender to the darkness and become the enemy? Very slow burn Giyu/OC.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One | A Coward's Weapon

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Winter had plunged its long fangs deep into the slumbering landscape, stripping the trees down to the bare bark, blanketing the hillside in a thick layer of snow. The icy wind was whipping the earth like a farmer driving a poor exhausted bull in the last hour of sunlight.

Giyu watched detachedly as his warm breath swirled and dissolved in the stinging cold of the mountain air. He was getting weaker. It would be days before anyone could reach him in this desolate place, even longer if the weather conditions developed into a blizzard. He hoped his body would give him enough time for his forgetful crow to take his message back to the Ubuyashiki Manor.

Swiping his tongue over his teeth, he sucked the bloodied saliva from the cracks and crevices of his mouth. He spat the mixture in the dirt, wincing when pain coursed suddenly in his injured limbs. The young swordsman grimaced as he dropped his cloak from his shoulder, the fabric like sandpaper on his open wound. He studied the damage; the gashes were alarmingly deep. Fresh blood seeped from his torn flesh; however, the most concerning issue was the puss beginning to gather in the lacerations and the ripe smell it emitted. _Damn poison_. He had no medicine, and he was several dozens of miles from any town. It had been a little over a day since he had suffered the injury, and he knew if he didn't do something soon infection would set in, if it hadn't already.

His leg was broken too. Right above his ankle.

Limping, he gathered what kindling he could find in the little cavern he had fortunately discovered in the cliffside. He lit a small fire and heated a knife in the glinting flames, until the blade glowed orange. He gave the weapon a determined glare and grit his teeth, bringing the knife to his torn skin. Without hesitation he pressed it against the wound.

Spots immediately materialized in his vision. He choked back any sounds of pain leaping into his throat and denied the instinctive urge to jump away from the searing pain. He was in a deteriorating state, Giyu couldn't afford to draw any unwanted attention from predators hiding in the woods. He pressed the knife harder into his arm, allowing himself to hiss violently at the agony to release some small part of the pressure building inside him. He continued this torturous process for what seemed like ages, until he was satisfied his wound had been moderately cauterized.

Beads of dirty sweat rolled down his face and neck, and his chest heaved fiercely. He surveyed his work, musing to himself that he was certainly no doctor, and that he should probably brush up on his medical skills when he returned to civilization. His skin was burnt black, and the stench was much worse than before, almost putrid. He poured water from his flask over the injury, the cold bite of the liquid burning almost as much as the heat of the fire. He propped his back against the rock wall, letting his head rest on the cool stone. The reflection of gentle flames danced in his eyes, before he cast his glance towards the entrance of the cave. The wind gusted fat snowflakes into his shelter, much to his aggravation. At least he had some cover for his fire….

He felt like death.

His memory drifted back to yesterday's intense battle. As much as he hated to admit any sliver of defeat, the upper demon moon hadn't gone down as easily as he would've preferred. He had been surprisingly fast and powerful, unusually so, even for a demon moon. He felt that somehow, they were getting stronger, an unsettling concept. He hadn't expected to find a high-ranking demon moon lurking in such a remote area. It only validated any suspicions that an even more unusual creature was living on the mountainside. It was obvious to him that they hadn't crossed paths by mere coincidence.

He had been sent here to investigate an outrageous claim; allegedly a demon capable of walking in daylight was inhabiting the mountain. The first few reports had been laughably dismissed. The pillars were sure that the locals were mistaken, until a wet behind the ears demon slayer confirmed their stories. The boy had confronted the demon in suspect while he was hunting, abashedly admitting he had approached it willingly, mistaking it for a pretty human woman. He had been so shocked by his accidental discovery he fled immediately. Giyu suspected that was a wise decision, albeit embarrassingly weak. The curious part was that the demon hadn't attacked or followed him. There were too many factors to conclude exactly why the demon let her prey flee so easily, but Giyu doubted it was out of the kindness of her heart.

Thus, his current predicament was birthed. On the side of a mountain, bleeding and exhausted, fighting to find this female demon before anyone else did. He rolled his eyes at the thought of Shinobi's smug comments and masked judgment. She would be overjoyed to tease him for allowing a demon moon to rough him up so badly. Especially since she had forewarned the mission might be better suited for two pillars.

Giyu took a moment to embrace the quiet and allow his aching body to relax. A veil of weariness had just begun to drape over him when he detected company. His half-lidded eyes sprung open, his senses alert, though he didn't allow his body to betray his awareness to his hidden audience.

He was being watched.

By a demon.

Another moon? Whoever they were, they weren't coming any closer. What were they waiting for? A multitude of questions flooded his mind as he examined his situation. They must have been drawn by the scent of his blood. The ludicrous thought then occurred to him, the sun hadn't begun to set over the hills. Rays of light still streamed through the naked tree limbs, though some of it was absorbed in the snow filled wind, there was too much light for a demon to survive in.

It was her.

Annoyed, he silently cursed to himself as he flexed the hand that lay at his hip, ready to grasp his sword at a moment's notice. He had been so close. Apparently. If he hadn't crossed paths with the demon moon his mission might have been complete today. He steadied his breathing and his heart rate quickly. He thought he had been prepared to meet a demon in daylight, but truly, he was so familiar with confronting them in the cover of night. She had… surprised him. A feat not easily accomplished by anyone.

After several tense minutes of waiting, he offered the frozen outside world a challenging glare. He scanned the tree line for movement, but the raging elements prevented him from pinpointing the demon's exact location. Still, he could feel the presence watching _him_. He debated between gathering all his strength and getting this over with, or staying put, waiting to see what move she would make… then the decision was made for him. Her presence vanished. She had left, all traces of her melting into the dense woods. He considered following her. He didn't like not knowing what he was up against, and as sure as he was of his own abilities, he had to admit he was far too drained to fight another demon who could possibly be as strong as the last one he encountered. He had lost a lot of blood, and he was concerned about the dizzy attacks that seemed to be plaguing him more frequently. Not to mention his broken leg.

Why did she leave? She knew he was wounded, at his most vulnerable. This would be the second time she had abandoned what most demons would be foolish enough to consider an 'easy' meal. He couldn't help but wonder what her objective was. All questions aside, he was irritated that she was behaving so unusually. Demons had always been simple. Some were powerful, some were weak, but they all fed on humans. Without fail. And they weren't active in the day. Half of what protected humanity from annihilation was that demons couldn't survive sunlight. The thought of them evolving was unsettling. Then again, this wouldn't be the first time he had encountered an atypical demon, one uninterested in feeding on humans.

He thought back to his short-lived battle with Tanjiro and his demon sister. The only other demon he had known to refuse to devour a person. His brow furrowed as he considered yet another possibility. Could this one be similar to Nezuko? Was she holding onto some thin shred of morality left inside her? Was there a human somewhere on this mountain, grounding her to humanity?

Even still, he would rather eliminate it than worry about trusting anymore 'friendly' demons. He had already been mocked as a traitor to his own race for supporting the sibling pair. He had taken responsibility for them, for her. He couldn't afford to do it again. The chances there was another demon like Nezuko were practically nonexistent. It was wisest to anticipate the worst, the demon must be waiting for him to fall ill or become too physically weak to protect himself. She was probably just being cautious. He planned on his visitor dropping by again in the thick of the night, possibly in the morning when it expected him to be sleeping.

He exhaled heavily and laid his head back against wall, staring at the low ceiling. He had enough strength left to last him another fight, but with each passing hour he would become weaker. His total concentration breathing would slow down the infection, but it couldn't cure him. He had estimated it would take another demon slayer at least a week to reach him, and that was if his crow delivered his message accurately and swiftly. Infection would surely set in by then. He resisted the urge to drop his head low under the weight of frustration.

He was tired. Desperately so.

Giyu drew his sword across his lap.

Sweat continued to stream down his face and back, despite the winter chill.

Hours into the night, as the bacteria blossomed in his wound, he allowed himself to close his eyes and slip into the inviting embrace of sleep.

Brown strands of hair thrashed across her face as she sampled the cold breeze, snowflakes and the aroma of human blood filling her nostrils. Her nerves surged viciously at the scent and her pupils dilated excitedly in response. Her natural, physical reaction was typical of a demon, but her intentions were entirely human.

She had ventured into the woods to fend off the latest threat. There had been another demon stalking her territory and she had been keeping an eye on it for a couple of days now. It had become far too curious about her home, slowly moving closer as the nights passed. She knew it must have caught the scent of humans. Armed with her grandfather's sword, she left her house just before the rising sun. It was the best time to hunt demons, which liked to hide in the caves on the mountainside. She had the advantage in the light.

She sprinted through the maze of towering trees surrounding her remote home, searching sprawling miles of woodland for the scent of a demon. After nearly an hour or so of tracking, she finally found some evidence of her target, although, not quite the evidence she had hoped to discover.

The lingering perfume of a demon and a human.

The concept made her gut twist.

She followed the trail of their scent until she was led to an area of the forest utterly saturated with the stench of a fight. She examined the scene before her, her brows shooting up at the sight. Entire trees had been halved, and the ground was littered with craters of various sizes. She stepped further into the man-made clearing, inspecting the large splatters of blood melting into the snowbanks. Lots of human blood, enough to kill someone. She inhaled deeply, the odor of human flesh settled heavy in her lungs, and scanned the forest floor for signs of a person, or _pieces_ of a person. Flashes of torn limbs and leafs of skin littered her mind… she shook the distracting visions from her head. It had been a long time since she had seen the remainder of a person who had been slaughtered by a demon. She wasn't sure how prepared she was for what she might find, but she was determined to figure out what happened here.

Her investigation concluded two things. The demon was gone. The human walked away.

_How? _She silently inquired._ The only human I've ever known to walk away from a fight with a demon was my grandpa…. a demon slayer. _

A wave of alarm overcame her as the voice of her grandfather filled her head, his warnings of how dangerous they were, how she must never draw enough attention to herself to attract one. A demon slayer was on the mountain? But why? She had done nothing wrong, she assured herself; she had learned to control her urges. She never went near the towns. She didn't hurt people. She had even done humanity the kindness of exterminating demons who posed a threat to the surrounding villages. Her chest heaved as her mind raced with questions and panic. Where was he? Was he alive? Would he try to kill her too? Would this be the first human she would have to kill since… the last time? What if they found out? But how did they find out? They didn't understand… it was an accident!

She wove her fingers into her hair and pressed her palms hard against her ears, trying to deafen the roar of her thoughts. She needed to clear her head. The thick aroma of blood wasn't doing her any favors. Her mind was cluttered with sensory overload.

_Think! He doesn't even know you exist! Probably… He was fighting another demon. _

But could it really be a coincidence, that a couple weeks after her run in with the young hunter, this demon slayer shows up? She ground her teeth in concentration, _it's too risky to assume. _She had been too careless, to curious.

Perhaps he was dead already? She looked around again, reassuring herself he had lost a lot of blood. Too much. She hoped….

But really, there was only one way to find out. He had walked out of this clearing alive. She had to find him, or his body, to be certain.

The scent of his blood was like a bread crumb trail, she could smell details as delicate as where he placed his hand to support himself against a tree. His trajectory led towards the mountain, where he could find a place to escape the weather and mend his wounds. As she followed the trail, the enchanting notes of flesh and blood began to diminish. The snow was thicker now, like a curtain, erasing her clues to his location, she had to hurry. What would she do if she found him alive? She urged herself to decide before she was forced to make a poor, rash choice. If she let him go, he would undoubtedly come back for her, or send others… What would happen to her grandmother? Would she be punished for sheltering a demon? She gnawed at her lip anxiously as she continued to track the human.

Kill him? Or let him live? The questions played like a broken record in the back of her mind as she weighed all possible options.

Suddenly, she inhaled the fragrance of blood, burnt flesh, and smoke.

She wove deftly through the hibernating trees, inching closer towards the source, until she was in line of sight of a small cave entrance. She stopped abruptly and squatted down on all fours behind an oak, hanging several feet back behind the tree line, a couple dozen yards from the human. Carefully, she peeked around the side of the massive trunk, and sampled the air. She scowled at the overpowering stench of burning wood, wrinkling her nose. She sniffed again, studying the scent. He was definitely alive. She dared to inch closer, weaving through the trees, trying to conceal herself in the snow drenched underbrush.

She could smell hints of infection. Fever. Dying cells.

She craned her neck, focusing her vision through the veil of snow she caught her first glimpse of him. He sat cross-legged, his back against the rocks. His attention seemed to be captured by the small fire in front of him. She studied him for several moments. He was injured badly, but his posture suggesting otherwise. He looked completely relaxed. She froze when he whipped his head around, his gaze landing on her almost instantly. She didn't dare move or breathe. _He knows I'm here? Can he see me? _If she was going to kill him, now was her best shot. If he was anything like her grandfather, she didn't stand a chance against him at full strength. Judging by the mess he had left in the forest it was likely he was stronger than her.

The scent of infected flesh wafted over her again, a little stronger this time.

_He will be very sick within a couple days... and this weather will accelerate the process. _

He knew she was there yet made no effort to attack her. Why wouldn't he unless he was weakened and ill? It seemed her problem would most likely take care of itself. All she had to do was stay away and wait for nature to take its course.

Quietly, she slipped off in the direction of home, darting through the trees as gracefully as a doe. The woods were silent, save for the relentless lullaby of the wind, all creatures tucked away in the safety of the trees, ground, and mountain as the snow continued to bury the earth.

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Author's Note:

Hey there! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I'll try not to litter this story with too many author's notes, but I think this one is kind of important! So basically, I've only watched the anime- so please NO SPOILERS. I haven't read the manga and I'm not super knowledgeable about the extents/specifics of the characters powers. I know the basics, like total concentration breathing, blood demon arts, and some aspects of the different breathing techniques. All that to say- I'm writing this story for the fun of it! This idea just kind of popped into my head. Also, I am a shameless romantic and Giyu fangirl (that being said, I will try to pace/write this story in the most believable way possible and do my research beforehand to write everything as accurately as possible). My writing skills are also very rusty, I haven't written in years! So please forgive any stiff dialogue or overly descriptive writing.

I hope you like my OC. I'm not usually big on OC characters, but like I said, this idea just kind of stuck with me. Hopefully she's not too annoying! And don't worry, she will loosen up over time, I promise!

Well, that's it for now! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2 Man's Enemy

Chapter Two | Man's Enemy

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Her name was Hanako.

She was human for the first 17 years of her life. She had been a demon for the last 6 years.

She lived with her grandmother, deep in the mountains, almost a week-long hike from the nearest village. Their house was built by her grandfather, specifically located far away from civilization to accommodate her condition. She had killed one human in her existence as a monster. The memory plagued her ruthlessly, flashes of carnage bombard her at any given moment. She told herself she was cursed to remember that day so vividly as some sort of penance for her crime, and not because her savage appetite yearned for the long-denied taste of human flesh.

But tonight, staring through the wood grain patterns in her ceiling, she was thinking about something else. A promise she made to her grandfather after he forgave her for the accident. His mantra wouldn't stop repeating in her head.

_Kill demons. Protect people. _

Today, she broke that promise. And that fact was destroying her.

She swore to herself she would make it up to her family somehow. She swore she would honor her grandfather's wishes, under any and all circumstances. She owed it to him most of all. He was the first one to forgive her. The only one who wasn't scared of her, the first person to trust her enough to turn his back to her. Not that she was around many people after her attack, but still. He saved her.

And she disgraced him by leaving the wounded man to die in the raging snowstorm. As if their vow meant nothing to her.

She didn't protect the human. But her grandfather warned her to stay away from demon slayers… demanded it even. Though she wondered now if it was really for her own safety. He was a retired demon slayer himself, she presumed it would be the ultimate dishonor to be found sheltering a demon. And if she had hurt or killed one of his comrades… she didn't even want to imagine what he would have done to her, or how much shame she would have burdened him with. He probably would have taken his own life in exchange for her sins.

A soft knock pulled her from her churning thoughts. The soothing perfume of her grandmother gently filled her nostrils. She opened the door, taking a few quiet steps into the room. Peppered brown hair framed her gracefully lined face, and a neutral linen kimono hung loosely around her petite figure. Hanako offered her a tight smile and sat up on her bed mat.

"Good evening Baba," She swallowed tensely, "Do you need something?"

Her grandmother's brown eyes sparkled with amusement. "You think I must need something to visit you?" Her voice was calming, with an edge of roughness to it. Hanako likened it to the texture of canvas, smooth, but woven with strength. "You always share your daily adventures with me, but tonight when you got home you ran straight to your room and haven't come out since."

The older woman walked towards her, gesturing questioningly towards the mat. Hanako patted it softly, inviting her to sit, although if she was being honest, she dreaded the inevitable questions. She didn't want to lie to her Baba, but she didn't want to disappoint her either. Both thoughts were crushing. But why should she feel so guilty? She didn't drag that swordsman into a fight, his injuries were a result of his choice.

She took Hanako's extended hand appreciatively, using it for support as she lowered herself to the floor. Her grandmother paused momentarily, studying her granddaughters face closely before she carefully spoke. "Hanako-chan… you are carrying a burden now that you weren't before…."

Hanako swallowed again, resisting the urge to bite her nails or fidget under the pressure of the indirect interrogation. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her pale arms around her legs. Her grandmother wouldn't push the issue if Hanako asked her not to, but she didn't know how long she could live with this weight on her shoulders.

She felt her grandmother's thin fingers brush a lock of hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear. She glanced at the older woman out of the corner of her eye. She was a little over 60 years old and had aged remarkably well, her delicate wrinkles like poetry on her skin. She was a kind person, but firm too, and she also always seemed to know exactly what Hanako needed. Nothing escaped her attention.

Her lips parted, then closed again, as she searched for the best way to start. She covered her face with her hands, letting her hair fall around her like a curtain. She stumbled through her confession in a muffled voice. "I don't want you to… be disappointed in me. I'm afraid I made the wrong decision… and that it makes me unworthy of you and grandpa."

Her grandmother waited patiently for her to continue. She would listen until Hanako was done, refraining from commenting before she had heard all the details. She raised her head, sullenly staring at a spot on the floor. She couldn't meet her grandmother's eyes; she didn't want to see her disappointed reaction when she told her what she did.

Solemnly, Hanako explained everything. From the demon she was hunting, to the fight scene she'd discovered, to leaving the wounded demon slayer to die on the mountain.

She waited anxiously while her Baba processed the story. Hanako snuck a peek at her from behind her shield of tangled hair, meeting the elderly woman's tender gaze. "Do you think I was wrong to leave him?" She nearly whispered the question, afraid of her grandmother's answer, but also desperate for her support.

Her brows drew together thoughtfully. "I think there's no easy answer. I think you should worry less about how your grandfather or I would judge you and find your own truth. Can _you_ live with it? Do you think it was wrong?"

She almost groaned at the useless response. "I think he would want to kill me."

"Do you think your grandfather wanted to kill you?" The question hung in the air between them like a dark cloud.

A hard lump formed in her throat. "Grandpa was different, the situation was different."

"You're right," She agreed. "Your grandfather had every reason to kill you."

Hanako stared at her grandmother for a moment in shocked disbelief, the harsh words like a knife in her heart. She turned her head before her Baba could see the tears spring to her eyes. She wiped them away furiously. She didn't have the right to be hurt by such a statement, or to be angry with her grandmother. She was right. Her grandfather should have killed her. What she did was unforgivable… still, it wasn't something they talked about often. To hear her Baba say such a thing so effortlessly, it stung.

Cool hands cupped her jaw, pulling her face back. "Your grandfather sacrificed so much to save you. His pride, his honor, his way of life. Sometimes the right thing to do goes against everything you once believed in, sometimes it means you make sacrifices and take risks. That young man has saved many lives. He'll continue to save many lives if he lives. You aren't saving just one person by helping him, you're saving many. Just like your grandpa did when he spared your life."

She raised Hanako's chin higher. "He wanted you to help people. He also wanted you to be careful, because he loved you."

The young demon contemplated her grandmother's advice. "Do you think I should go back for him?"

Her grandmother smiled sadly, drawing her hands into her lap. She didn't offer any more answers. Instead, she cast her gaze to the wall, her face pensive. "It's promising that he didn't attack you. Though, I wonder why he is on the mountain. You have kept the demon population down the last several years…."

"I ran into a hunter a couple weeks ago." Hanako admitted. "I think he must've gone back and told someone about me."

Her Baba arched a brow in surprise. "You never told me that."

Hanako shrugged, "I didn't think it would be an issue. It's not the first time a human has seen me." Technically, that was only part of the truth. He saw her and chased her through the woods, shouting innocent greetings and asking if she was lost. It was the most thrilling thing to have happened to her in a long time. Then she realized he might track her back to her home, so she hissed at him, baring her fangs in warning. He must've realized what she was, because he fled.

As if she could read her mind, her grandmother lifted an eyebrow in suspicion. "He just saw you? It sounds like you were being particularly… careless."

She twirled a lock of hair around her finger absently. As much as she adored her grandmother, six years with only an old woman for a companion had become… mind-numbingly dull. When people did venture into the deep woods, usually to hunt, she liked to observe them. It was her hobby- people watching. On occasion she would experience moments of brazen recklessness and interact with them. Only a little of course… and she never got too close. Usually. She was insatiably curious about humans. Her own adolescent memories of relationships with people were shrouded, locked away in some inaccessible place in her mind.

She wondered if the swordsman was still alive, if he would make it through the night. The scent of his blood would attract demons. She wondered if he could protect himself with the injuries he had suffered.

"I don't think he'll survive if someone doesn't help him…." Really, she was only thinking out loud.

Her grandmother stood, looking down at her expectantly. "You will need some medicine and bandages. He might need some food as well. I will help pack a bag for you."

She offered her hand to her demon grandchild. Hanako chewed her lip, a pit of dread formed in her stomach. They were taking so many risks for this stranger. Whatever happened tonight, she had a feeling it would change the future. But she stood anyway and began to prepare for the precarious task ahead, because it's what her grandfather would have done. She said she would make it all up to him somehow, maybe this was fate knocking at the door, collecting it's promised dues.

Donning her grandfather's demon slayer uniform, she secured an ornately painted mask over her face. It was a gift from him, meant to suppress her identity, making it difficult for people with abilities like his to sense her at close range. Her knotted hair was pinned messily around her head. She grasped the hilt of her sword, the instrument thrummed unhappily in her hand. _Stop whining, _she silently commanded it. It had a spirit of its own, and it had taken years to subdue the weapon enough where she could carry it without the blade burning straight through her flesh and bones. It was meant to slay demons, not to be wielded by one. It only accepted her after her first sloppy kill, hopeful it still had purpose in this world after its original master's passing. However, it barely tolerated her as a teammate, it still complained every time she strung it across her hip.

She took the bag of supplies her Baba organized and slung it across her back. They met at the door, where her grandmother gave her a lingering hug. "Make sure to clean the wound before you pack it with the paste, and don't bind it too tightly. Be careful Hanako-chan. Don't rush him."

Hanako nodded, releasing her. "I know."

She stepped out of the house, a strong gust of snow and freezing wind invading the foyer. Within a few steps the blizzard engulfed her figure completely, and she journeyed into the black abyss, hoping she wasn't too late.

His skin was slick with sweat even though his body shivered from the freezing temperature. His breathing was labored. He was contemplating cutting his arm off.

He wasn't going to make it. Not with this infection. Not with this weather. He had to make peace with the inevitable. He thought in a moment like this he would be contemplating his life, recounting his victories, celebrating his existence. But he was too tired. Instead, he stared blankly into the ashes of his fire. It was strangely peaceful, aside from the fever and injuries.

Outside his shelter the wind howled through the trees and snow had begun to pile up by the entrance. He was never the first one to complain, but tonight he indulged in cursing the wretched mountain. He was still upright, his back against the wall. His total concentration breathing helped him stay warm and kept the pain from overwhelming him, but he could feel himself letting it slip now and again. He wondered how long he would last before exhaustion or delirium overcame him. He just needed to make it until dawn, then he could relax a little and get some genuine rest.

In the midst of his meditation he picked up on a peculiar sound. The crunching of snow. It was barely audible, but he knew better than to doubt his instincts. _Not an animal. Too loud_. No animal would venture out of the warm safety of their home into this storm anyway. No person either. _It must be a demon… but why can't I sense it?_ He could usually _feel _a demon's aura, their hunger was like a thick fog that spanned a far distance depending upon how starved they were. Now he was second guessing himself. He listened more closely, waiting for that specific sound. _There. _It was unmistakable. The alert of a stalking demon. Why couldn't her detect it? Was it his visitor from earlier? He hoped so- if he was going to die in this hovel, he wanted to at least complete his last mission.

He remained calm, keeping his breathing steady and his posture relaxed. Giyu needed the demon to keep its guard down, let it think it had the advantage. He had been expending as little energy as possible, suspecting he might need it to defend himself against a demon. He didn't like the idea of infection taking his life, but he liked the idea of a demon taking it even less.

Several moments passed, just like earlier. Not many demons enjoyed playing waiting games. It was definitely her.

The stillness was broken when a small object was suddenly slicing through the air, barreling toward him like a kunai. Reflexively he lifted his arm, he cut the item in two in one fluid motion. What he saw next left him dumbstruck.

Lying at his feet were two halves of a roll of medical bandage.

He narrowed his dull blue eyes at the offering. Was it a human out there after all? Was the entire scene that just unfolded a hallucination, a side effect of his fever? He cocked his head towards the entrance of the cave, scanning the blurry tree line for signs of movement. Nothing. Why would a human be out in this weather? Why would they toss him supplies from afar instead of introducing themselves and assisting him directly? It had to be a demon, somehow it was concealing itself from him.

But, more perplexing than all of that… why was it helping him?

_Does it matter? _

He had an assignment to honor; it may be his last one.

He prepared to make the first move, to gather all his strength and force her to confront him, but she ultimately revealed herself. Her obscure, moonlit silhouette materialized in the clearing. He couldn't make out specific details through the screen of snow, but he could tell she was small and that her face was covered. _A mask? Like the ones inexperienced demon slayers used to ward off demons? _Was that the thing keeping him from sensing her?

He watched, morbidly intrigued, as she brought her arm in towards her body, and slowly tossed another object. This time it struck the ground closer to the entrance and rolled towards him, stopping just before it bumped into his leg. Another roll of gauze. He picked the object up, pretending to study it. She could smell his infected wounds, and maybe even that he was suffering from a fever. She thought he was crippled, unable to help himself- weak. She was as comfortable as a demon could be, her guard was down.

_Total concentration. _

In that second Giyu summoned every fiber of energy and power left in him. Using his good leg, he propelled himself off the stone floor, sword in hand. He was out of the cavern, into the clearing, face to face with the demon before she had time to process what was unfolding. _She wearing a demon slayer uniform! _The sight of it almost slowed him down. _No time. _He angled his sword towards her neck and swung.

It didn't cut through flesh, rather it screeched against the steel of another blade. She had pulled her own weapon forth from underneath he cloak, clumsily yet successfully blocking his strike.

He couldn't stop the next thing he noticed from stealing his attention. His eyes flickered to the red blade, then to the familiar inscription at the base. _Destroy demons. _

A demon… with a demon slayer sword and a demon slayer uniform. This was blasphemy! Where did she get all of it? Why did she have it?

They were both frozen, suspended in time. Fury began to course through his veins as shock pumped through hers.

He glared venomously at the mask. "Why are you wearing that?"

The demon hesitated, and he spun quickly, aiming at her neck once more. She jumped back enough so that only the tip of his blade grazed her throat.

She hissed at him like a feral cat. "I'm trying to help you!"

He pointed his sword at her accusingly. "The same way you helped the demon slayer you stole that uniform from? I think I'll pass."

The wind shrieked as the blizzard continued to rage around them. Giyu's precision and endurance was beginning to wane. He had to use a breath of water technique before he ran out of stamina.

_Striking tide. _

Giyu leapt towards his opponent intending to land several finishing slashes. He wouldn't have answers, but he didn't care. He refused to allow this creature to disgrace the history of his honorable organization by continuing this farce any longer. However, before he could deliver the attack the world went black and his deceased sister suddenly appeared before him.

He halted abruptly, his body tense with surprise.

"Tsutako…"

Her back was turned to him. She was wearing a pastel kimono, her dark hair twisted neatly around her head.

He dropped his sword lower, his eyes wide. _Not real. She's dead_. She was killed by a demon. He searched the void for signs of his enemy. She was gone. Was it a blood demon art? He couldn't break out of the trance. There was no exit. He was trapped in a painfully familiar nightmare. In his youth he was haunted by visions of his mutilated sister. She would scream for his help as demons devoured her alive, but he could never move a muscle, always immobile with fear. A few things were different in this one though, for instance, she wasn't soaked in blood.

His heart thumped hard in his chest. It was cruel spell, he imagined it completely debilitated most opponents.

"Giyu…"

She turned, a genuine smile on her pretty face. She looked healthy… happy.

He waited- expecting the dream to take a turn for the worst at any moment.

"Hello, little brother." Her voice was like a warm caress, it was comforting, inviting.

His brows drew together in suspicion. He knew he shouldn't give in. It wasn't real. This image of his sibling was nothing but a puppet… but everything about her, her smell, her appearance, her aura all felt incredibly authentic.

When Tsutako stepped towards him he raised his sword in warning. "I know you're not my sister."

She frowned. "You don't trust me… but we don't have much time. I have something important to tell you, please listen."

He fell silent. He knew he shouldn't entertain the phantom, but the last pleasant encounter he had with his sister was before she was slaughtered. His dreams had never been kind to him. She was always being tortured, screaming in agony, or blaming him for her death. He had forgotten how pretty she was. He had forgotten her kind eyes. He was so used to watching her die. Even if it was a lie, he couldn't deny it was a beautiful one.

"I'm at peace."

He blinked mutely.

"I did the right thing, I wouldn't change my decision, not for anyone. I need you to do something for me. It's my last request. I need you to forgive yourself."

He had been holding his breath. His eyes stung. At some point he had dropped both arms to his sides, his blade aimed at the ground.

She stared at him lovingly. "We're watching over you. We are so proud of the man you have become."

He'd had enough of this. "You'll pay for this."

Giyu tried not to think about the way her sweet expression crumpled in defeat, it was a convincing smoke screen. Unwavering, he leapt towards her, brandishing his weapon. Just before his sword sliced the specter in two, he saw a tear run down his sister's cheek. His mouth opened in momentary disbelief.

Her figure wavered, then evaporated, "Forgive yourself little brother" echoing softly in empty space.

His chest heaved. Giyu was still trapped in the void, but he was regaining his senses. He could smell the forest pines and feel the frozen snowflakes peppering his face, the illusion was beginning to fade.

It was almost imperceptible, but he heard movement behind him and willed his real body to swing his sword toward the noise. It made contact, but it was too late. There was a burst of pain in the back of his head and he lost consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 | The Patient

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* * *

She raised her sword, prepared to fend off the oncoming volley of blows.

He was wickedly fast, faster than any demon she had ever fought. She wasn't sure she would be able to block his rage fueled attacks this time. There was a difference in his demeanor once he saw her uniform, his righteous fury was almost tangible. It had been years since she had trained with her grandfather and her swordsmanship was pitiful. He was superior to her in every way, even with infected wounds. She was only barely surviving this fight. Was this the power of all demon slayers? One thing was for sure_, this _is what her grandfather had warned her to stay away from.

Would he kill her? Visions of her grandmother played at the forefront of her mind, alone and defenseless. She couldn't leave her Baba alone on this mountain, without protection. She had to make it out of this alive. But how could she? How could she survive this maze of unyielding attacks?

There was a primordial part of her she was unaware of being unlocked in that moment. It was a powerful ability, undetectable to her, that would save her life. A blood demon art. She had no control over it yet, it acted of its own volition, like a second, hidden personality inconspicuously taking over. It penetrated his mind, searching thousands of memories for something that would delay him and buy the young demon some more time.

The swordsman paused mid attack, frozen like a sculpture. The tip of his blade was inches from her chin, she could feel it humming in excitement of piercing her flesh. Hanako, having no idea her blood demon art had been activated, watched in trepidation. Was this a trick? Was this part of his attack? She staggered back a couple steps, confused and painfully high on adrenaline. Her heart was thudding wildly in her chest, her breath whooshing inside her mask. She lifted it out of the way, letting it snap back diagonally across her head, she didn't need it anymore. She scrutinized him from a distance. _What is he doing? _He was just standing there, as if he turned into a block of ice.

She thought about running. She couldn't beat him, and whatever was wrong with him, it might be her only chance to get away.

She whirled away from him and started to sprint into the woods, but she only made it a few yards before her feet refused to obey, and she stopped. The snow was up to her knees. The scent of his infection was dense in her lungs. He was sick. Only she knew he was here. He would die of blood poisoning if no one helped him. Did she really come all this way just to leave empty handed?

_You made a promise. _

"Uggggh." She growled and spun back around to face him. As underappreciated as she felt, she had to help the jackass. Even if he was more unpleasant and ferocious than most of the demons she had hunted, she couldn't return home and tell her grandma she'd left him in a blizzard in some sort of inescapable trance.

Hanako circled him, keeping her distance until she had to get close enough to knock him unconscious. She grabbed the hilt of her sword close to the blade and raised it high above her head. Just as her arms were barreling down towards him, he broke loose from whatever spell he was under and swung his weapon at her. The strike was as fluid as running water, the swift movement almost imperceptible. The smell of blood bloomed in the air and he collapsed as the hilt of her sword made a blunt impact on the back of his skull. She stiffened in shock, her sword in front of her. She was afraid she had hit him with too much force, then pain exploded across her cheek and forehead. A waterfall of hot blood gushed down her brow and neck, filling her vision.

It was such a smooth motion she hadn't noticed his weapon neatly fillet her skin.

The young demon snarled furiously while she used her sleeves to mop up some of the gore. Pieces of skin and muscle peeled away from her skull. Concerned of how it might frighten her grandmother, she put her mask back in place to cover her injuries. Luckily, being the monster she was, pain had little influence on her, still it certainly didn't feel nice to have a heart beat in her face. Not to mention it took her ages to heal because she didn't feed on humans.

She glared down at the sleeping demon slayer resentfully. She was tempted to kick him right between his askew legs, but there was no time to waste. His wounds required urgent attention. She had to get him back to her grandmother as soon as possible.

She wrapped her hand in the fabric of her uniform, cautiously picking up his sword, and weaved it through the loops on his hip. Bolts of electricity tickled her fingers as the loyal instrument objected to her touch. She hooked an arm underneath his armpit and across his wide back. She supported his weight against her. "_Ugh_, heavy bastard."

Hanako had the strength of a demon so his size wasn't a major hindrance, but the journey was still awkward. She had to drag his dead weight through deep snow, and all of it was downhill. And she was half worried the whole way back that he would wake suddenly and cut her head off. She would stop occasionally to listen carefully to his breathing patterns, just to be sure he was still unconscious.

A little less than a couple hours later, Hanako burst through the door of her home. Her grandmother ran to her, shutting the door behind her as the demon dragged the swordsman to their spare bedroom.

"What happened?" Her grandmother took the bag of medical supplies from her and prepared to dress his wounds. "Get his clothes off."

Hanako sat him on the floor upright, propping his body against hers as she stripped his uniform away. His solid head rested in the crook of her neck as she unhooked loops and buttons. "He attacked me." She was extra careful taking his injured arm out of his sleeve. "His arm is infected; I think he might have been poisoned. He has a fever too."

She laid him back slowly. His chest and arms were bare, slick from the sweat of his fever. She definitely preferred him unconscious.

Her grandmother examined the wound adorning his bicep. It looked positively furious, the skin blushing an angry red. The skin was singed black, and puss was leaking from the seams. "It looks like he tried to cauterize it. Very poorly done. Go get some fresh towels, and some water."

Hanako practically bolted out of the room, grateful to be away from him for a few moments. She had been paranoid the entire trip back that he would wake from his comatose state and attack her, but there was nothing stopping him from doing the same in her home. He wasn't obligated to follow any sort of etiquette here. She silently prayed she hadn't made a grave mistake. What if he woke while she was in the room helping her grandmother tend to him? Would he fly into a fit of rage and try to kill her again? What if he hurt her grandmother? She paused suddenly, only just now realizing he may very well harm them both. The swordsman had a one-track mind. Kill demons. She doubted he would have mercy on anyone who got in his way, even if it was a kind old woman. She chewed her lip as she retrieved the supplies for her grandmother. She wished she had just stayed inside today. She wished she hadn't even known he was on the mountain, then it wouldn't have been up to her to save him. The anxiety settled like a heavy rock in her gut.

She brought a jug of water and a stack of cloths back to her Baba, placing them neatly on the floor beside her.

"His leg is broken too." Her grandmother had looked over the rest of his body, and sure enough, the fabric around his right leg was rolled up high enough to reveal his severely swollen ankle and calf.

Hanako's lips tightened, pulling down in one corner. She hadn't been gentle dragging him back home, but she didn't think she had been that rough with him. _Oops._

She looked at him now, her wary curiosity piqued. He was muscular, with thick, raven colored hair. He looked angry even when he was knocked out. And dangerous. He didn't look the slightest bit weaker with his eyes closed. He reminded her of a pop-up toy, the kind that unexpectedly sprang out of the lid after the crank on the box had been wound too tightly. The atmosphere was filled with tension, at least for her, as she anticipated him to wake at any minute.

"Ugh!" Hanako's nose wrinkled in disgust. "He reeks."

The smell hadn't been so bad outside with the breeze, but now that he was in an enclosed space, his infection and body odor was trapped in the room and stung her sensitive nose.

Her grandmother leveled her with a disapproving look, lingering on her face for a few seconds. "Why are you still wearing that mask?"

She had forgotten about it. She put her hand on her blood crusted head. "I didn't want to scare you." Slowly, she removed the mask, dried flecks of blood falling to the floor like crimson snowflakes.

Her grandmother's eyes immediately widened in horror. Hanako cringed at the reaction. "Is it that bad?"

Her Baba laughed nervously, struggling to force a more pleasant expression. "Well, it looks very painful… but it will heal." She turned her attention back to the wounded human, her tone serious again. "We will need to make a splint for his leg. Come help me clean him."

Hanako hesitated. "Do you think that's a good idea? What if he wakes up?"

"He won't. Besides, I'd rather him know you helped him however you could. I'm afraid you will need all the brownie points you can get dear."

Her grandmother cut away his shirt and set to cleaning his arm, while Hanako began to wipe blood and grime from his chest and sides with a damp rag. His skin was burning with fever, but he was shivering as if he were cold.

"He is doing well." Her grandmother noted. "He must be using total concentration breathing. His wound _is_ poisoned, but he is delaying the side effects admirably."

Hanako remembered her father teaching her about total concentration breathing, but only humans needed it, to defend themselves against creatures like her. She didn't know they could use it for anything other than increasing the strength of their attacks.

"He is using it even though he's not awake?" She peeked at him nervously, less certain that he was entirely unconscious.

Her grandmother nodded as she worked. "Only very strong or high-ranking demon slayers are capable of maintaining it in their sleep, and this young man has the added obstacle of infection." She gazed at her demon grandchild's mutilated face; her features sober. "You are very fortunate to have survived your encounter with him."

Hanako swallowed thickly. Now that she wasn't fighting for her life, she had time to be angry at him for attacking her. "I don't understand why he acted like such an animal; I was trying to help him."

Her Baba sighed. "It's his duty to kill demons. He is protecting humanity."

She couldn't accept that. "But I didn't attack him. I did nothing but throw him a roll of bandages. I made a peace offering."

"Hanako-chan. Your grandfather sacrificed his honor as a demon slayer because he loved you- he knew you. Not all demon slayers are like your grandfather."

Hanako considered her Baba's wisdom before formulating her own expert opinion. "I agree, he's not like grandpa at all. He's just a savage, dumb beast."

Her grandmother slapped her hand sharply, eliciting a whiny hiss from the demon. "That's enough of that you insolent child! Where are your manners?"

Silence fell over the pair as they continued to mend the warrior's injuries. Hanako pouted as she secured a splint to his lower leg while her Baba finished doctoring and wrapping his arm. He was moving more now, his head tossed from side to side in protest when Hanako was near and his fingers flexed as if searching for his sword. Every moment that passed made her more concerned he would wake.

"I can take care of him from here. Why don't you go clean yourself up?"

Hanako stood tiredly, grateful to accept the order. "Call if you need me." Her grandmother nodded and returned her attention to their patient.

She went to the bathroom and began filling the tub with water, rinsing the blood out of her hair before she drew her bath. She had been avoiding the mirror, but decided it was finally time to look at her disfigured face. Her reflection was hideous. She was almost embarrassed to have been around her grandmother in such a condition. Her wounds healed slowly because she didn't devour humans. They healed even more slowly when she was exhausted.

He had just missed her left eye, thank the stars. The gash ran from her lower temple, through her brow and across her forehead, and disappeared into her hairline. The bottom flap of flesh curled away from her bone. Her skin was stained red, dried blood crusted around her eyes, nose, chin, and trailed down her neck into the collar of her shirt. She turned the faucet on, splashing water across her features repeatedly until what was draining down the sink was only slightly tinged with filth. She stripped down to nothing, kicking her uniform to the door. She used a damp rag to wipe off as much of the carnage as she could from her body and limbs before stepping into the bath. She submerged herself in the warm water.

They young demon closed her eyes wearily. She wondered how long she would sleep for when the exhaustion irrevocably claimed her. Usually it was about a week. It used to be longer, the first couple of years she would be comatose for months at a time. Hanako would fight the urge to pass out until she was sure she and her grandmother were safe from the demon slayer, until _he_ was healthy enough to leave. The young demon knew that if she were to succumb to slumber, no amount of begging from her Baba would stop him from killing her.

Hanako thought back to their fight. He had been so determined to kill her, even though she had done nothing to provoke him. Would saving him change his mind about her? She groaned hopelessly. "_Why _did I bring him back here?"

She had a sinking feeling in her heart that her decision to save the demon slayer would change everything.

She soaked in misery for over half an hour. The warm bath relaxed her tense muscles. Her eyelids were beginning to feel heavy.

Her Baba knocked at the door, stepping inside the room. "Well, he's all taken care of for now…. How are you?"

Hanako almost snorted but stopped herself. Her grandmother had been through enough today, she didn't need any more sass. She responded simply. "I'm tired."

Her grandmother picked up her uniform, she was holding his too. "I will wash these." She looked tired as well. "He has a terrible fever. I will need to keep a close eye on his progress. I think it might be best if you stay away from him for now…."

Hanako was relieved to hear that. He made her nervous. "That's fine with me." She sank up to her nose contentedly.

"He will wake up eventually. For now, I'm hiding both of your swords."

The young demon's eyes shot open and she accidentally inhaled water in her burst of outrage at the incredulous threat. "WHAT?!" She shrieked. "Why?" She sat up in the bathtub, watching pathetically as her grandmother seized her prized heirloom.

Her Baba sighed, her condescending tone indicating the logic should have been obvious. "Because these swords are the two things on this whole mountain that can kill you. If he gets his hands on either one when he wakes, he will finish what he started. We need time to convince him you're not a threat."

Hanko growled, desperately tracking her captive sword. "What if I need to protect you from demons?"

She raised her brows at her pouting grandchild. "Maybe I will have to take care of them myself since you two are determined not to get along."

"Argh!" Water splashed over the edge of the tub as she continued to indulge in her tantrum. She knew she was being difficult, but it was her most cherished gift from her grandfather. "He is the one who wants to act like an animal!"

"That is a very persuasive argument coming from someone who is snarling at me like a raccoon caught digging in the garbage." She left then, sword in hand, and slammed the door behind her. There would be no more negotiation. Hanako dramatically submerged herself completely in the water. The oaf was causing her way more trouble than he was worth.

But her grandmother did have a point. When he woke up fully or even partially healed, he would be unstoppable with a weapon. He might have superior swordsmanship, but Hanako had extraordinary physical strength as a demon. If he decided to hurt either of them Hanako would be able to stop him if he was unarmed. So why was she being punished too? Was her Baba worried Hanako would be too weak or inept to prevent him from taking her sword and using it against her?

Hanako drained the tub and pulled a thin robe around herself. She didn't bother to check the mirror before she left. She was an abomination, with or without being maimed.

She had to walk by the guest room that the demon slayer was in to get to hers. She paused at his door; her grandmother was in the kitchen hand washing their uniforms. She sampled the air. His scent was cleaner now, but she could still smell the infection. She wondered how long it would take for him to recover, hopeful he would heal miraculously fast and be out of their hair within a few days. All she had to do was keep her distance. As she was about to walk away, she heard him mumble something. She leaned in closer and listened curiously.

"_Tsutako._"

It must've been the name of a human. It sounded feminine. Suddenly, it occurred to her that he may have a family. She wondered if they would come looking for him. Was he married? Did he have children? She doubted the latter, he seemed too young to be a father, and she honestly couldn't imagine anyone voluntarily binding themselves to a man who was so willfully disagreeable.

He had been so enraged about her uniform. "By the way, that uniform was _given_ to me by my grandfather." She whispered bitterly at the closed door. The audacity! To accuse her of stealing her own grandfather's uniform! Her fists were clenched so tightly that her fingernails cut crescent moon shapes into her palms. "This was a mistake. I wish I had left you to die out there."

Without warning, the door was flung open, and she was standing face to face with the raven-haired demon slayer.

Her eyes practically bulged out of her head. Other than that, she was completely frozen stiff, like a deer caught in the path of a hungry lion.

His breathing was heavily labored, and he braced his hands against the door frame as if he would fall to the floor at any second. She couldn't see his eyes through his hair, his head was tilted down slightly, as if he couldn't bear to lift the weight of it. His shoulders heaved as he struggled to keep consciousness.

"Why didn't you?" His voice rumbled lowly in the narrow hall.

She blinked dumbly, jumping back when his eyes snapped up to meet hers. Why didn't she 'what'? Had he heard her say she should have let him die?

Instinctively, her hand went to her hip. No sword. _He doesn't have one either, _she calmed herself. He couldn't kill her. He waited for her answer.

She gulped and stammered through the first response that came to mind. "I made a promise."

He glared at her mercilessly, his arms beginning to shake as they supported his weight. "What are you?"

"… A demon." She admitted carefully. Was this a trick question? This was so bizarre… she was having a conversation with him, with the man who had tried to kill her hours ago.

"Then why?"

"…Why didn't I kill you?" The sound of water dripping from her hair onto the floor filled the awkward silence. "I… I can't explain it easily." It was difficult to meet his hard gaze. She couldn't string together a coherent thought, much less confess all the intricacies of her past to this human delirious from blood poisoning.

He continued to stare daggers at her. "How many people have you killed?"

She held her breath at the question. She was hoping she wouldn't have to have this conversation with him for a while, if ever. Would her response be the difference between life and death? Her mind raced between lying, putting off the answer, or honesty.

"One." There was a slight tremble in her voice. Hanako almost surprised herself. She had never confessed her past to another person before. A desperate part of her hoped he would offer her some semblance of acceptance. To be forgiven by someone who had no obligation to do so… she should be so lucky.

His leg almost gave out and he fell forward slightly. She hopped away from the sudden movement warily, her back flush against the wall. Why was she so afraid of him? He didn't have a weapon, he was weak. She had the upper hand… yet, something told her she shouldn't get into the habit of underestimating him.

"Oh my!" The sound of her grandmother's voice was like music to her ears. She exhaled in relief as the older woman went to the ill warrior's side. "You shouldn't be up, you need rest." She surveyed her granddaughter. "I think you should go to your room Hanako."

The young demon didn't move. She wanted to make sure he wouldn't hurt her Baba.

The man leaned away from her grandma. "Why are you living with a demon?" He studied both females judgmentally, before going into a coughing fit. He nearly fell to his knees, barely enough strength in him to stay upright.

Her grandmother sighed. "We'll have time for that conversation later. She is harmless, you and I wouldn't be her still if she wasn't. Please, let me help you back to your bed. I promise to explain everything when you are ready."

He suffered through the coughing, finally catching his breath. The young man pushed away her outstretched hand as if he didn't need her help but remained kneeling on the floor. He was ridiculously proud. Once he caught his breath, he gripped the door frame and pulled himself to his feet. He locked eyes with Hanako as he regained his sense of balance. "You are not the first demon I've met who has been a friend to humans. That doesn't mean I have to trust you. Give me the smallest reason to suspect that you are too _weak_ to deny your natural urges, and I will kill you."

Hanako's temper flared and she snarled at him in warning. "You have no idea who I am. I don't care if you don't trust me. _Don't_ hurt my grandmother, or I will kill _you._"

He seemed unfazed by her threats, much to her annoyance. His eyes were cold and unflinching. Her Baba shooed her away, flailing her hands at her. "Leave now. You've done enough."

As much of an ass as he was being, she hadn't seen any evidence he intended to hurt her grandmother. Hanako growled indignantly at their guest one more time and spun away from him, her wet hair audibly snapping around her head.

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Giyu watched the demon sulk to her room. She was taller than Tanjiro's sister by several inches, very nearly reaching his own height. Her eyes were like Nezuko's, the irises soft and round when she was calm, changing shape to the typical venomous slits when she became confrontational. She seemed more disciplined and intelligent than the average low-ranking demon. He also noted she hadn't healed yet;her face was still disfigured from the only blow he had managed to land on her during their fight. So, she hasn't devoured a human _recently_.

She gave him one last razor glare before she slammed the door behind her.

He had never held such a civil, lengthy conversation with a demon before. It felt entirely unnatural.

Giyu realized his limbs were shaking again from supporting his own weight and that his body felt like a solid block of lead.

He had the sudden urge to retch. He curled over on himself, trying to suppress the feeling. The old woman placed a hand on his back tentatively, as if asking for permission to assist him. "You're the first stranger she has ever been around. Please forgive her lack of manners... Hanako isn't usually so hostile. She's just scared."

"She is a demon." He owed her no complements. "Violence is her first instinct." He coughed harshly, trying to push down the rising bile in his throat.

"… Then you two are similar in more ways than you might want to believe."

He turned his head towards her, analyzing the old woman. She was thin, weak. And she was secretly sheltering her demon grandchild. They were a curious pair. She frowned at him. "You are pale, you should lie down before you faint."

He looked back at the mat on the floor. It seemed a hundred miles away while his gut churned in turmoil. Still, he rejected the old woman's help. Every stumble he took towards the blankets seemed to incur another wave of nausea. He lowered himself none too gracefully to the floor, practically falling backwards. Spots formed in his vision and the room began spinning. He gestured for a bucket, one hand covering his mouth.

"Oh dear…" His host scrambled in the background to find something for him to retch in.

The old woman shoved a large bowl underneath his face right as he lost control of his gag reflex. He vomited into the vessel until the contents of his stomach were completely expelled. It burned his esophagus and coated his mouth in grime. When was the last time he had puked? During his training for the final selection exam perhaps?

His sensitive ears picked up on the distinctive sound of the demon girl groaning in disgust from the other room.

What a peculiar creature. She had a particularly developed personality. Almost more human than monster.

If not for the fangs, and claw like nails, even he might have mistaken her for a human woman. He quickly remembered she had to carry him here from the mountain, all while he was covered in blood and unconscious… and she hadn't devoured him. He had even wounded her, and despite almost decapitating her she was determined to help him. She was certainly in control of her hunger. As simple as he wanted the situation to be, it had just become annoyingly complicated. She _was _like Tanjiro's demon sister.

The old woman offered him a damp rag, he wiped his face, feeling her eyes study the back of his head. "What is your name?"

He steadied his breathing, sucking the residue from his teeth and tongue and spitting it into the bowl. "Giyu Tomioka."

"You may call me Koharu." He didn't respond. He simply laid back on the mat and placed a hand over his closed eyes. "I fear while total concentration breathing can delay the progress of the poison, it cannot cure you. You _are _very ill; it will take lots of rest and dreadful medicine to dispel the poison from your system."

He exhaled deeply. This was all terribly inconvenient. His body ached; intense pain engulfed his injured arm. He was shivering and sweating at the same time.

She raised a small cup to his mouth. "This will help with the fever and nausea. Drink."

He swallowed the concoction in one gulp. She was right, the flavor was horrendous. A small price to pay for some relief. His racing thoughts began to slow moments after the mixture slid down his throat, and a fog of drowsiness enveloped him. He felt warm. And heavy, like he might sink through the floor.

Images of a stranger's demon slayer uniform flashed in his mind. She said she had killed one person, if that one person was a demon slayer, there is no chance she would be allowed to live. "Where did she get the uniform and the sword?"

Koharu was silent for a moment. When she finally spoke, there was an edge of old sadness to her tone. "They belonged to my husband, he passed away a couple years ago…. He bequeathed them to her."

He considered her answer, at least their story was consistent. He had woken from a nightmare when he had heard the young demon talking to herself outside the room. Whether they had made up the story or not, he would find out the truth eventually.

The old woman's voice gently nudged his ears. "You said you know of other demons like my granddaughter?"

He lazily managed a delayed one-word reply. "One."

Koharu was silent for a moment, looking almost hopeful. "That's wonderful. So… you will give her a chance?"

Giyu was barely aware enough to register her words. He only offered a frustrated exhale. Too tired. He wanted to kill her. That's easy. He wanted things to be easy again. But he wouldn't. Not yet. Where was his sword?

Koharu was saying something, but it was all incoherent babble. He was slipping out of consciousness, images of an old woman and a snarling, green-eyed demon fading as he fell slowly into a black abyss.

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Authors Note:

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Just a reminder, I'm super rusty, so, sorry for any cringey writing XD.

We've revealed Hanako's blood demon art! We will dive deeper into her abilities as the story progresses. I knew I wanted her blood demon art to deal with the mind, it's kind of inspired by Itachi's (from Naruto) infinite Tsukuyomi technique. Also, keep in mind, I'm taking some creative liberty with things in this story. If I have a cool idea, I try to incorporate it while still making it believable (like with the swords resisting the touch of demons). In the past I've tried to write stories and failed because I didn't let myself have fun with them. I'm really trying to have fun with this one and explore all my viable ideas!

Thanks for reading!

Too da loo!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 | Recovery.

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Hanako's eyelids felt like lead weights. They burned constantly. She needed to sleep, but she couldn't. Not with _him _in their house. His ailing scent permeated every room in their home; she wondered how long it would take to dissipate after he left. On more than one occasion her sleep deprived brain flew into a panic as she considered what his health and strength returning to him would mean for her and her Baba. If she fell asleep now there was no telling how long she would be unconscious for, he could recover before she woke. It was too risky.

She was desperate for a distraction, but demon hunting was out of the question. Her grandmother had hidden her sword and was determined to keep it from her until she was certain it was safe. All that was left to do was watch the snow fall and listen to the demon slayer suffer through coughing fits.

Their patient had fallen incredibly ill within the last 48 hours. His fever raged and he refused to eat, he couldn't keep food down anyway, so what was the point? His wounds didn't seem to be getting any worse though, that at least was a good sign. Her Baba was adamant he would recover completely, despite the alarmingly fragile state of his health. Hanako hoped her grandmother was right. As it was, the warrior's sickly scent stung her nose. When she was concerned the odor became too strong, she alerted her grandmother, who would clean him with damp rags.

Her grandmother had told her his name was Giyu. She preferred not to get too familiar with him, so she continued to refer to him using the appropriate nouns, human, swordsman, demon slayer. She had more creative nicknames, but her grandmother didn't approve, so she kept those to herself.

When her grandmother had to sleep Hanako was unfortunate enough to be on nurse duty. Mostly that meant making sure he didn't choke on his own bile. Sick humans emitted an awful, powerful stench. Again, she worried if he would attract dangerous visitors, they were lucky to have cold weather and thick snowfall… but she wasn't sure how long their luck would last. For the most part, other demons seemed to claim and protect their own territory, and she had done well to establish hers. She hoped her inactivity and the smell of wounded flesh wouldn't tempt any challengers to come snooping.

Since his first night in their home, he hadn't spoken much. He would mumble things in his sleep and make displeased faces when Hanako was near, but otherwise he was trapped within himself. So, while Hanako was placing a fresh pitcher of water on the floor next to him she was startled when she turned to see his vacant eyes cracked open, staring at the ceiling. She awkwardly froze, waiting for him to lunge in her direction, then she reminded herself that the man couldn't even stomach a slice of fruit let alone kill her with his bare hands. She couldn't help but observe him for an extended moment. She suspected his face was thinner than it normally was, he was sweaty, his hair needed to be washed. And there was another smell, underneath the poison and perspiration, a scent particular to him. Her grandparents had special scents too, theirs were like old whicker and sweet grass. She sampled the air a bit more, realizing his was cold and sharp like… glass? Yes, like a damp windowpane on a cold, rainy day. His head fell sideways, eyes flickering to her. She quickly looked away from him then, and without a word stood and went to the door.

"What did you do to me in the clearing?"

Her whole body stiffened at the sound of his voice. The quality of it was so… empty, blank. Not like in the battle when it was full of rage. She stayed with her back to him, her shoulders tight. "What do you mean?" She felt her cheeks warm. She wasn't sure why.

"You trapped me…" His breathing hitched as a cough lodged in his throat. "…in some kind of illusion."

She angled her head to the side until the blanketed shape of his legs appeared in her peripheral vision. Her brows knitted together in confusion as she tried to make sense of his accusation. "What are you talking about?" He must have been delirious.

She felt his eyes on her, calculating.

He didn't say anything more, but she remembered then, how he suddenly stopped in the middle of their fight. That must be the incident he was referring to. "You did sort of just… freeze." She met his dull gaze now, curious. "You think I has something to do with that?"

He held their stare with chilly regard before his head fell back in exhaustion. She waited for his response, but instead he closed his eyes tiredly. Strange human. Of course, he would make up excuses to be upset with her.

Hanako fingered the woven texture of the door thoughtfully, wondering if she could get anymore conversation out of him. "My grandma said you told her there were more… demons, like me. Demons who didn't hurt people."

"One demon". His chest rose and fell heavily. "And you _have_ killed someone." He evenly reminded her.

She flinched inwardly. "… I know." She said simply, her voice thick with shame and guilt. She didn't want to talk about that right now. She surprised herself, asking, "Are you going to try to kill me?"

He didn't say anything for so long she thought he'd fallen asleep, or was ignoring her. He responded as she was leaving, the door nearly closed. "I don't know yet."

She slid the door shut, lingering outside their guest's room as she contemplated their unusual exchange. A flame of hope blossomed inside of her. Maybe things would be okay.

"Is everything alright?" Her Baba held a candle next to her face, her concerned expression illuminated by the warm glow.

Hanako offered a strained smile. "Yes. I think so."

Her grandmother's posture relaxed a bit. "Come Hanako, I can't sleep. I'd like some company." She motioned for her granddaughter to follow her to the kitchen.

They sat together on the floor; legs folded under their modest dining table. Her grandmother watched the flame of the candle flicker as she spoke. "I feel change coming."

The demon grimaced. She did too. "Nothing is going to change, Baba." She lied as she reached for her grandmother's hand. The older women's fingers were soft, her knuckles thick with arthritis and built up cartilage.

"Part of me wishes that were true Hanako. But I think it's time. You need someone. A friend. I won't be around forever." She squeezed her grandchild's hand fondly. "I don't want you to be alone on this mountain for the rest of your life."

"You're not that old Baba!" Hanako tried to say it playfully, but it came out a bit desperate. "Besides, I don't think the swordsman and I could ever be friends." She openly cringed at the idea. She didn't want him to be her friend. He tried to kill her, after all. She just wanted him gone.

"Perhaps not. He doesn't strike me as a sentimental type of man, but if you leave with him, maybe he could… introduce you to other people who would understand you."

Hanako's brows raised incredulously. "Leave with him? I don't even know him, he's a stranger… why would I do that?" The suggestion was absurd for a multitude of reasons!

Koharu tilted her head, her tone gentle. "You are not like other demons. If I die, and you're left on this mountain alone, I'm afraid…" She searched for compassionate words, but Hanako knew what she meant.

"That I'll change? That I'll go crazy and devour a bunch of people?"

Her grandmother winced. "I'm afraid you'll truly become a demon, yes. You're different Hanako. It's as if… you're still half human, and I think being around me, being with a human, has some part in that. I don't want that to change."

She pulled away from her Baba's soothing grasp. "I won't change. I promise. But I'm not leaving you alone."

Her grandmother frowned, ignoring her objection. "I've been thinking… I might sound like a crazy old crone, but you kill demons- you protect people. And your grandfather, who was a demon slayer let you live. And now this young man, he's more like your grandfather than we thought, he said himself, he knows of another demon like you. What if… what if we could convince him to train you? If you had purpose, if you served humans, you may not have to hide for the rest of your life."

Hanako's features drew together in confusion. "What are you saying?"

"What if you could become a demon slayer, like your grandfather? What if you could work for them?"

She laughed, fangs glinting in the candlelight. Her grandmother's eyes narrowed at her impatiently. "Baba… you can't be serious." She threw her hands up. "That's impossible."

"I don't think so. Not if you can gain his trust- if you can bargain with him."

She crossed her arms defiantly, determined to poke holes in this ludicrous theory. "Bargain with what?"

Her grandmother gestured in an obvious manner. "With your abilities, with your strength, your hunting skills, your ability to heal from any injury."

She shook her head tiredly. "Grandmother, no. Even if he did trust me, why would he risk his reputation for me? Think of grandpa. You said it yourself, he gave up his honor to help me. And _besides,_ I meant what I said, I'm not leaving you alone!" She couldn't abandon her. Baba was _her_ human. Her human to protect and care for. This was her mountain. A small, animalistic part of her wasn't willing to give up her territory so easily, the thought of other demons invading her home made her pupils twitch. "What do you think would happen to you if I left?"

Her Baba rubbed at her temples. "You are scared."

She stood then, her talon-like fingernails cutting her palms. "So what if I'm afraid? I didn't ask for any of this! Everything was fine before _him_! It's not fair that he gets change anything about my life." Her pupils snapped into slits as she thought about that idiot beast and how he was ruining everything. How his presence threatened to change things.

Her grandmother raised her voice to match Hanako's temper. "No, everything was NOT fine." Her eyes were turning red, tears threatening to pour over her lids at any moment. "You're a demon Hanako! You killed my son! Nothing about that is fine or natural!"

It felt like someone had punctured her heart with a knife, she folded her arms around herself protectively. _Torn limbs. Exposed bones. Blood-soaked clothes_. "Is this how you've felt all along? Did you always hate me for it?" _It's okay to say yes. _She hated herself for it.

"No." Her grandmother dabbed at her eyes with her sleeves. "I don't hate you. I never hated you. But you need help, Hanako. Your grandfather is gone, I'm getting old. I don't want to die knowing that you're completely alone, with no hope." She put her head in her hands. "It's not that I've just suddenly considered all of this since you found the demon slayer. I've been thinking about it for some time now. We just needed… a sign. You need to do everything you can to prove to him that you are still human at heart, like I know you are. This could be your only chance." She emphasized the last sentiment in a pleading manner.

Hanako felt sick. She was sure demons didn't get sick, but her stomach was in knots. "I'm sorry Baba, but I can't leave you. I won't. Not ever." She was finished with this conversation, she needed to clear her head and put some distance between her heartbroken grandmother and the smell of poisoned human flesh. "I'm going to check the traps; I'll be back in a while."

Her grandmother's face fell in defeat. "Hanako, you know I love you. I just want what's best for you."

All she could offer was a detached nod.

She swiftly gathered what she needed from her room and set off into the dark woods.

* * *

It was too hot.

He threw the blankets, damp from his sweat, off his upper body. They twisted around his legs; he was too exhausted to fight with it.

His clamped his eyes shut as he attempted to tame the nausea churning in his gut. The swordsman's head swam violently whenever he tried to lift it past his shoulders. How long would this last? Giyu laid there on the floor, his body useless and vulnerable. Neither were a feeling he was familiar with. The old woman came in once, she attempted to apply a cool, wet rag to his forehead. He was stubborn. He pushed her hand away. She tried to speak to him, but his ears felt like they were stuffed full of cotton. Not that he cared to know what she was saying, but he had a feeling it was about her demon grandkid. Sleep came and went as it pleased. When he did sleep it was restless and fitful, when he was awake he was sure the shadows in the room were _her. _He was delirious with fever, even though he fought with all his strength to stay lucid.

He tried to communicate that he didn't want the demon assisting him in any way, that it wasn't necessary, but the old woman didn't seem to understand him. Or maybe she was blatantly ignoring his demands. She seemed to be resolved to force them to interact with one another. He felt like she was taking advantage of him, a fact he didn't appreciate very much at all. He knew by now the demon girl had no intention of harming him. That didn't mean he had to like her.

He needed to figure out what he was going to do with her. After some internal debating, he concluded he had two choices. Choice 1 was to kill her. Easy. He preferred that choice. Choice 2 was to take her back to the manor and let Kagaya decide what to do with her. Much more difficult for him. Plus, he had already vouched for one demon, he wasn't sure his reputation could afford another Nezuko situation.

Giyu had a feeling she wasn't going to like either option.

He needed to retch again. He groped blindly for a vessel, vomiting water and yellow bile into a ceramic pitcher. The door slid open; the old woman strode towards him as she surveyed the mess he created. He was practically panting now, the simple act of leaning over and puking was as strenuous as his fight with the upper demon moon. This was absolutely humiliating. He decided then being so ill was entirely undignified, if there was a next time he would find some other way to die with honor.

She knelt next to him, illuminating his figure with a lit candle. "You look pitiful."

He grunted in agreement.

"I don't mean to offend you, but you need a real bath. I'm sure a warm salt soak will help you feel better." She mopped up the floor and jug with a rag. Apparently, his aim wasn't the best. "When Hanako gets back I'll have her help carry you to the washroom."

He shook his head. "No." The simple, weak response was all he could manage.

She sighed. "Why not? You must realize after everything she won't hurt you. What more proof do you need?"

Giyu did know that. He didn't want a demon touching him. Why was that so hard to understand? He was in the demon slayer corps for fucks sake.

"Well, it's not up to you." She stated resolutely.

He nearly growled he was so frustrated. He had never felt so degraded and disrespected in his life. But he would not lower himself to throwing a violent tantrum, no matter how badly his fever riddled brain wanted to lash out at the source of his irritation. He had some sliver of willpower and decorum left.

"Try to get some rest." Her tone sounded as exasperated as he felt.

He was already laying down, but he felt his body, his bones, his organs collapse in fatigue. His chest was rising and falling erratically, beads of sweat rolling down face and neck. His poisoned arm throbbed. He focused on his breathing, the one thing he could still control, and willed his racing thoughts and heart to slow. Not too long after, he fell back into the fickle embrace of sleep.

He was awoken, probably a couple hours later, by the sound of the old woman and the demon girl arguing quietly outside of his room. He was shivering now, the blankets partially strewn off him, his sweat having cooled like a thin sheet of ice on his skin. This was truly hell.

"I don't want to. This is a terrible idea", came a whiny hiss from the other side of the door.

"You're both being so difficult. You carried him down a mountain, but you refused to help him a few feet down the hall?"

"He was unconscious! Are you going to let me knock him out again?"

"Shh! You impudent thing!"

"Arggh! I don't want to do this!"

"You _will help me_ or I swear you will tear this house down plank by plank before you find that sword."

This threat elicited a low snarl from the demon. For a split second, he felt something like a kinship with her. His sword was an extension of him, as vital a part of him as either of his arms. It had never been withheld from him before, he felt powerless without the weapon. He would have his sword back when he recovered well enough. Unlike the demon he wouldn't wait to be given permission, he would destroy this whole mountain, let alone this house, to find it.

His eyes were closed, but he heard the door slide open and the two females step into the room. The grandmother came to his side and knelt close to him; she was reaching out to gently shake him awake when he spoke. "I'm awake." It burned his raw throat to use his voice.

He heard the demon exhale and shuffle anxiously. She was still uncomfortable around him. That made him feel a bit better.

He cracked his eyes open as he lay there, staring at the now all too familiar ceiling.

"Oh, good." The old woman clasped her hands together in her lap. "Hanako is going to help me get you to the washroom, as promised."

He tried not to exhale quite as dramatically as the demon girl had, he wasn't sure how successful he was. "I told you, no. I don't want her touching me." He heard _her_ stifle an indignant snort from across the room.

She smiled tightly. "Hm. Yes. Well, I could try to carry you, but I'm fairly sure I'd break something."

His eyes lazily drifted towards the demon. She was wearing a simple, pale green kimono, anyone who didn't know better would easily mistake her for a harmless young lady. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her features were set in an annoyed, impatient scowl. Her face was still divided by a raised, pink scar, but the skin had knitted back together and reattached to the bone. Other demons would have been able to heal such a minor injury within a matter of minutes.

He closed his eyes wearily. He ought to get this over with. The old crone wasn't backing down any time soon. The thought of arguing with her about it any longer triggered a pounding headache.

"So it's settled!" She turned towards her granddaughter. "Come Hanako, lets help him."

The demon merely stood for a moment before she huffed and carefully approached him. He opened his eyes again, not looking at either of them. The swordsman began to lift himself slowly, his head first, then his chest, all the weight on his elbows, then his hands, until he was sitting up. The effort instantly made his head swim like he was drunk and confirmed he would not be able to make the journey to the washroom by himself. He didn't realize he was swaying as the elderly woman reached out an arm as if to keep him from falling back. She inclined her head at the demon, silently ordering her to help. Her grandchild's lip curled with unease, but she knelt next to him, extending her hand behind his back like her grandmother. Not quite touching him, but still, too close. The scene bred discomfort.

He struggled to concentrate on his breathing. He hadn't exerted so much energy in several days. His eyes screwed shut as a wave of nausea threatened to make him sick. If he wasn't experiencing it for himself, he would have never believed poison could render him so inept.

"Take your time." They waited for a couple minutes, until his expression relaxed some. "Alright, Hanako, lets help him stand."

The demon swallowed nervously. The old woman tried first to hook an arm underneath him, but he declined her assistance. The demon was more than capable of supporting his weight on her own. He knew Koharu was only helping to defuse the awkwardness, but he didn't care to have nor need her help with that. She couldn't really hold him up, it was an empty gesture. "She can do it." He admitted grudgingly, nearly out of breath.

The demon hesitated. She exchanged an uncertain glance with her grandmother, who nodded subtly in encouragement.

Her arm floated in the air behind him, until incrementally he felt the warmth of her hand grow as it descended on his bare back.

He eyes snapped open, staring at the floor as her skin made contact with his, not bothering to hide his immediate displeasure.

Giyu sensed her stop breathing. Instinctively, alarms sounded in his head and his muscles coiled like tight springs. A demon was touching him. He had to fight the urge to throw her arm off him and tried not to think about how disturbing and unnatural it felt.

She concentrated as she cautiously reached for his uninjured arm, he watched from the corner of his eye, as long, taloned fingers closed around his wrist. It was almost like she was waiting for his permission for every meticulous move. She lifted his useless arm, warily ducking her head underneath it and laying it across her shoulders. Her hair scratched at the inside of his elbow. The hand behind him slid across his back and underneath his armpit. She painstakingly stood, lifting his weight as she went.

"Not too fast Hanako." The grandmother warned.

His weak body betrayed him as it leaned into her warmth and support, they allowed him some time to adjust to the arduous task. His ashen face was nearly parallel with hers, inches from hers despite how she craned her neck away from him. She didn't dare look at him as he tried to catch his breath. Only watched her grandmother with a panicky expression, waiting for her signals. She was extremely tense; it was starting to make him anxious and irritable.

"Alright, I'll go start filling the bath." The old woman left hastily.

He tried to support as much of his own weight as possible, but even the burden of his head was almost too much. It was just him and the demon girl as they wordlessly navigated their way through the door and down the hall, both trying to pretend this wasn't happening. Each step was more excruciating and nauseating than the last. He was shivering again. He could feel the demon's erratic heartbeat against his torso. Much too close. His skin was crawling, but he wasn't sure if that was from the disgust or the cold. His broken leg ached as the blood rushed down through his body.

A groan escaped him through gritted teeth when they finally got to the washroom. He never imagined a journey from one room to the next could nearly cripple him.

The demon steered him to the wooden tub, where he sat on the edge. Much to his frustration, he still needed her help to stay upright, but now at least, she was at arm's length. He watched exhaustedly as the old woman emptied prepared buckets of steaming water into the tub. Giyu was fighting to stay conscious; he would have been swaying if it weren't for the demons grasp around his upper arm keeping him steady. Koharu mixed salt and some kind of medicinal herb into the water, turning to him when she was done.

"This might be uncomfortable for you, but we should remove the rest of your clothes."

He felt his face heat at the humiliating idea, and he wasn't the only one who was made uncomfortable by the implication. Her demon grandchild instantly stiffened. He wanted to say no, but he knew that was ridiculous. He had been naked before in front of doctors and nurses. Though he wouldn't admit it, the thought of being naked in front of the demon girl, who really looked more like a young woman his age, unnerved him. But she wasn't a woman at all. And besides, if he was exerting all of his physical strength for this bath, he at least wanted to be clean.

In the end, he had no energy left in him to be worried about modesty when it couldn't be helped.

"Hanako, why don't you go ahead and help him get in the tub, and then we will take care of the rest of his clothes."

He had enough strength to lift his legs a little, but not high enough to make it over the tub himself without passing out. He nearly sneered as he had no choice but to hang onto the demons neck with one arm, while she hooked her hand under one knee, and lifted his leg into the tub, then repeated the process with the other. He was panting again, and sick to his stomach. But the hot water did feel nearly divine. He took a moment to steady himself, before turning to face the demon girl. She helped him stand as he braced his hand against her shoulder, she craned her head away from him, turning her flushed face as far to the side as it could go to avert her gaze. With one shaky hand, he managed to loosen his pants and tug his undergarments off. They fell into the water around his legs and he stepped out of them, not making eye contact with the old woman as she reached into the tub to fish them out.

His head dipped lower in exhaustion. Dark spots swam in his vision, he must have been swaying again because he felt her grip reflexively tighten on him.

The demon turned her head back in his direction, but her jaw was tilted up high, her gaze on the ceiling, so as not to get a glimpse of anything below the top of his head. She blindly clung to his upper body and helped him clumsily, lower himself into the warm bath.

His stomach rolled as he gripped either side of the short tub.

"We have plenty of buckets if you need one."

He shook his dark head silently, eyes closed as he focused on holding down the rising bile. The demon had retreated to the far side of the small room, where she couldn't see over the edge of the tub unless she tried, looking anywhere else in the room but at their patient.

The grandmother picked up a cloth and rung it in the water, lathering it with soap. She began to gently scrub the nape of his neck, then his shoulders, and his back. He didn't protest. He was on the verge of passing out, he feared the most insignificant demand of energy would send him plummeting into unconsciousness. He fell forward slightly, the gentle massaging circles of the warm rag and the balm of the hot water lulling him into sleep. The old woman yelped in alarm and the demon girl was there in a second, reaching across the tub to hold him up.

_What happened?_

The sudden movement was enough to stir him awake for a few moments. The water splashed as he shot his arms out to steady himself between the walls of the tub. She was too close, leaning half her body over him, her thin hands awkwardly pressed into either side of his chest. He felt like he was surrounded.

_Why won't you go away? _

He tried to blink the fatigue away. He barely registered every other word the grandmother and demon spoke to one another. Something about his hair. Something about the wound on his arm. He vaguely processed water being poured over his head.

The last thing Giyu remembered before he succumbed to sleep were stressed green eyes, and nimble fingers massaging his wet scalp.

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Author's Note:

Hope you enjoyed this update! I'm thinking about re-writing the first 3 chapters. Mostly to fix grammar mistakes and change some instances which I think are a bit improbable/cringey. So just be on the lookout for that. I've been doing a lot more reading/writing lately and I feel everything slowly coming back to me. I've read this chapter 4 or 5 times for editing purposes and each time I found errors, but hopefully I've picked enough out that it's still an enjoyable read. Also, I've learned 'Baba' is a South Asia term of endearment for grandparents vs. a Japanese one, but I like it so I'm keeping it. Thanks for stopping by!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five | Your Choice

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Four years later Hanako still could not recall her life before her transformation.

She remembered odd things, like a flowery orange kimono and the sound of a bell ringing as someone entered a shop, fleeting images of mundane things. Sometimes she could almost make out the faces of people she used to know, but it was like looking through a foggy eyeglass. She was only ever allowed hints and blurry glimpses of her life as a human, never complete memories.

Often, she forgot that she was ever a human to begin with. She felt she wasn't allowed access to those memories because they didn't really belong to her, but to a stranger, a person long gone from this world. Whoever she was before was someone entirely different. That girl had been killed and a demon now used her face for a mask.

She didn't remember turning either, only what happened after. Her grandfather suspected the one responsible for her transformation was getting revenge. He had killed countless demons in his long lifetime as a demon slayer and was beginning to train others to take his place. It was the devil's way of punishing him for slowing him down.

Usually, she tried not to think too much about what happened the day she killed her human father.

But she forced herself to remember sometimes, just enough so that she wouldn't forget the pain she had caused. It wouldn't be fair to forget, it would be selfish. Her weakness tore her family apart. Her mother died that day too, the blood of both her parents was on her hands.

When it was time, when she could feel herself becoming too comfortable, she would go out into the woods and recall every moment of that day. Not just the blood and the screams. Not just her dying father. She made herself remember how it felt to lose control. How terrifying it was. How completely awful and natural it felt to have fragile human bones crunch between the power of her jaws.

She went to the woods because she didn't trust herself around her grandmother, not when she was reliving all the details of that day. She would black out and when she mentally woke her hands and arms would be shredded from self-inflicted injuries. Many times, the blood smeared across her mouth and under her fingernails didn't belong to her, but to an unfortunate animal who couldn't escape her speed or reach. She needed to be alone so she could go savage. So she could scream and snarl and bite and tear and rip _anything_. So she could _control _herself by being _uncontrollably violent_.There was some type of predatory release that came from giving in to the dark, it was like an enormous weight was being lifted off her chest. Freedom. Afterwards, she could breathe again.

For a little while at least.

And she knew none of it made sense. She knew she was crazy for it all. But it was how she coped. She didn't want to hurt anyone, but she did. She didn't want to think about killing her father, but she had to. She hated what she was, but embracing her savagery was the most exhilarating, authentic thing she'd ever felt. She was torn between two sides of the same coin, never landing on heads or tails, eternally spiraling through the air.

There she stood in solidarity, miles away from her home, surrounded only by trees and snow. She stared up at the grey clouds, the sky, the webs of tree limbs. Her eyes darted erratically from movement to movement, her senses raging. She felt her pupils narrow, her breath coming in pants as she forced the memory of killing her father to the forefront of her mind.

_She was born into hunger. Overwhelming hunger. Nothing else existed besides hunger. Nothing before or after. Hunger was who she was. What she was. _

_She had to. Had to find something. Needed to._

_Human. Had to find one. Now. _

_She was sprinting wildly, unstoppable. Hunting. Nothing, nothing, nothing! It was making her insane! _

_Someone there! Human! _

_The world was a blur. Follow the trail, follow it until we eat! Eat all of it! Fast! Before something else takes it away! She snarls. _

_A man. Familiar. Doesn't matter. We're so hungry! _

_Pounce! He never saw us coming! He is prey! Slow! We did it! _

_He's screaming now. We smell blood! It's everywhere! All over us! Making us crazy. Our claws are inside his muscles! Tearing. Dig deeper so he can't get away! _

_Bite his arm. Blood gushes into our mouth._

_His face. We know it. _

_Can't stop! We're so hungry. _

_He's saying that name. Screaming. _

_He's fighting back. Too much struggle._

_Make him still. Kill him. We're too hungry to wait._

_His neck. Break it. _

_Don't look at his eyes. He'll see you. _

_We hear it snap. It's quiet now. _

_He's still. He's dead. _

_Father is dead. _

_Father. _

_Look at him. _

_Are you still hungry? _

Hanako snaps awake to a bone chilling scream erupting from her own mouth; if she weren't a demon it would have torn her vocal cords. It sounded like an animal was being slowly tortured. If she were paying attention, she would have heard birds screeching and taking flight and forest creatures crying out, scrambling for a hiding place. Even the trees seemed to shudder. Nature was repulsed by her, an abomination.

She's crouching, balancing on her heels, her fingers and nails dug inside the calves of her own legs, almost down the last knuckle. She feels her fresh, deep wounds pulsing hard. Her lip is bleeding, at some point she bit it. But she's breathing now. Big, deep breaths. Her lungs feel a mile wide each. She pries her fingers out of her own flesh and muscles. _Fucking hurts_. It's nothing she doesn't deserve.

She leaned back on her elbows, eyes closed, face tilted towards the sky. She floats back down into her own body. The tears come fast like they always do. And they're always silent. The second part to her ritual. Emotional cleansing. Forcing the brokenness and the guilt to the surface, embracing the hatred. Hanako hates herself for the way her body responded back then. So eager to hurt anyone if it meant feeding her insatiable appetite. She hates that she can't feel the loss of her parents, only the shame of killing them. She hates the human Hanako for allowing this to happen to herself, for being weak, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She hardly ever thinks about _him_, the devil who changed her. She doesn't think about how she's a victim too.

She's on her back now, strands of her knotted hair plastered to her neck and face.

The emotions are beginning to fade, the tears are slowing.

She's so tired. She'd like to sleep now. Maybe she should.

She still didn't trust the demon slayer.

She needed to stay alive for her grandmother, to protect her. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't stop him from raising his sword to her neck.

Her conversation with her grandmother about her future was unpleasant, but it got her thinking about something she hadn't before. What would she do when her Baba died? Would she live on the mountain for the rest of her life? Would she throw herself at the feet of someone like the swordsman and end it all? Hanako wasn't sure she'd have enough purpose to live any longer after her grandmother passed. She had grown so accustomed to routine and just living day by day. She had no plans for the future, no goals beyond keeping her head above water.

When her grandma was gone would she lose her mind? Her Baba was the last person in the world who gave a damn about her or accepted her for what she was. Was Koharu's love the only thing stopping Hanako from falling into the oblivion that was being a demon?

Hanako's bond with the old woman she came to know as her grandmother hadn't always been so strong. When her grandfather first brought what was left of their broken family to their mountain home, Koharu wanted nothing to do with Hanako. She was distant and cold towards the creature that had replaced her beloved grandchild. She mourned the loss of her son and rightfully resented Hanako for destroying their lives. It was only after Hanako's grandfather died that they became close.

Once she lost her grandmother, she would have nothing.

She sat up, wincing at the sight of the lower half of her torn, blood stained kimono. She would be upset. She would ask questions.

Hanako got up, checking her surroundings before starting in the direction of home. Her legs throbbed as she sprinted, but otherwise she felt balanced again. Tired, but in control.

When she arrived at her house, she was relieved to realize her Baba was preoccupied with their patient. She was able to sneak into her room and clean herself up and change, then hide the ruined garment in a cabinet. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in her broken vanity mirror and realized she looked somewhat wild, clumps of snow and ice stuck in her knotted hair. After 2 minutes she gave up trying to untangle her dark brown locks with the comb, she only kept herself presentable for her grandmother's sake. She hated her hair. It was extra, unnecessary work.

An idea came to her then, one she would need her grandmother's help with.

She waited for her Baba to emerge from the demon slayer's room. A day had passed since she had helped bathe the human and finally his smell was improving. Not just the sweaty odor, but the scent of poison was diminishing, just in time with the blizzards slowing down. The whole ordeal had been so uncomfortable and nerve-racking. She never wanted to do it again.

She was shocked he let her near him, more than half of her hoped he would struggle enough her grandma would give up on the plan. It meant there was some degree of trust between them, at least for a moment. Still, they hadn't spoken to one another since, and she avoided him when she could.

The door slid open and Koharu slipped out, Hanako followed her as they walked towards the kitchen. "He's finally managed to keep some food down. That's a good sign."

"Mm. Baba, I was wondering if you could do something for me?"

"What do you need dear?"

"I want you to cut my hair."

Her grandmother observed her over her shoulder, her expression wary. "I suppose you could use a trim."

Hanako shook her head. "I want to cut all of it."

The old woman's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. "Why would you do that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm just tired of it getting in the way and brushing it."

Koharu sighed and frowned. "I've always loved your hair. Are you sure?"

"Yes." Hanako nodded fervently.

She sat cross legged on the floor while her grandmother perched on a stool behind her. She cut the locks deliberately slow, as if her grandchild would change her mind suddenly.

"There, I think that is… acceptable?"

Her hair was just below her ears, not quite the vision Hanako imagined. "More please. I want it very short. As short as possible."

She sensed her grandmother crumple behind her at that. "Hanako, you'll look like a boy."

The demon shrugged carelessly. "I don't mind. Please?"

Realizing it was a lost cause, her grandmother surrendered and made quick work of what was left of her mane. Koharu suspected that if she refused to finish the job Hanako would hack the rest of it with little precision.

She felt so much lighter, and surprisingly different. Actually, no, not different, but more like herself, and less like the ghost of the human Hanako. She ran her fingers experimentally back and forth over her head. There was only an inch or two length of hair left and for once she thought the stuff felt soft. No more combing, no more worrying about pinning it back.

She gave her grandmother a grateful hug. "Thank you!"

She offered a sad, wordless smile, and Hanako swept up the mess.

* * *

Giyu's strength was incrementally returning to him. He was able to sit up on his own, without feeling like his head would implode. He was also able to keep some food down.

_I wonder if that horrible crow has made it to the manor yet…._

His crow was named Kanzaburo and was notoriously forgetful and easily distracted. It wouldn't be the first time he had needed to send an urgent message, only to be abandoned by the ancient bird. When he did successfully arrive at his destination, he often miscommunicated locations, enemy details, and warnings. It wouldn't surprise Giyu at all if he was fully healed by the old woman's simple country medicine before another demon slayer could reach him with more modern treatments. At this point, he wasn't too worried about the poison, but his broken leg was concerning. He would need more than a splint to accelerate the recovery of his limb.

This led into the next tricky topic. If another pillar were to receive his crow's message and was able to track him down, he's not sure how they would react to the demon girl. It's likely he wouldn't get the chance to explain why he wanted to take her back to the manor. Not that he cared for her in a personal way, but at this point she'd proven she had no interest in devouring humans, she had the potential to be a useful weapon. Most of the others wouldn't understand, they wouldn't want to. Giyu wasn't blinded by his disdain towards demons, fueled by it, but not blinded. Ultimately, he trusted Kagaya's wisdom.

Night had fallen, and the old woman had likely gone to bed. She was annoyingly attentive throughout the day, constantly in and out of his room for the most trivial reasons. It was glaringly obvious she had an ulterior motive besides healing him. She was hoping he would warm up to her grandchild, take her under his wing. Despite this, he didn't divulge his intentions to take the demon back to the manor. He knew better than to show all his cards when he was basically incapacitated.

It was in the midst of his mediation that he felt it.

The presence of a demon just outside.

In that same instance his door had been flung open, and the demon girl stood, wide eyes staring through the wall behind him. They were both very still, the sound of the demon girl's ragged breathing filling the otherwise silent room.

_Fuck._

His sword.

She didn't have hers either.

She growled lowly at the unwelcomed company outside. Her pupils had turned to slits and she was shaking visibly. She stepped farther into the room, coming towards him. Then she leapt over him, just as the intruder broke through the boarded window above Giyu, the two colliding in the air in a tangle of snarls and screeches.

He rolled away towards the door, coming up on his knees and hands.

Shards of wood and streams of blood flew violently as the demons slashed and tore into one another. The other appeared to be male, he was thin, and a bit taller than the demon girl.

Using total concentration and adrenaline, he managed to push himself to his feet. The male lurched towards him, but the demon girl dug her talons in his leg and flung him through the wall, back outside. She jumped through the hole after him and they continued their brawl in the moonlit snow. He grit his teeth and started down the hall, using the wall for support as he moved towards the grandmother's room. The fight had produced enough noise to wake her, and she met him at her door with a fearful, knowing look. "The swords."

He nodded with a bitter glare.

"You must promise me you won't kill her."

He growled and grabbed the collar of her robe, pulling the frail woman towards him warningly. "We don't have time for this! I'm _not _asking. Get. My. Sword."

She turned and disappeared into her room, returning with a long item draped in cloth. He snatched it from her quickly, unraveling the weapon from the fabric. He briefly noted it was a red blade, it was not his sword, but it didn't matter.

"I only hid one in the house…"

He would find his later.

His body was still weak despite his total concentration breathing. It had only been over a day since he had needed help getting to the washroom.

He jogged, half limping back towards his room, indicating for the old woman to stay back. He wouldn't fight the demon, he would just get in the way. He was only delivering the sword to _her. _

As it turned out, he didn't have a choice. The intruder managed to escape from the demon girl and was clawing his way back into the house. Giyu's eyes narrowed at the slobbering challenger, and he braced himself in a defensive stance. The creature barreled towards him clumsily, but powerfully, mouth wide in anticipation of the first bite. He couldn't move quickly enough to get quite the right angle, but swung towards his neck, and severed his bottom jaw from his head. The demon crashed into him, screaming wildly. He held the demon at arm's length, pushing him back with his free hand as the demon pinned his arm holding the sword. They struggled against one another, Giyu's strength waning against the effort to deflect the demon attacks

In the next moment, his opponent was lifted off of him, claws scrambling and scratching at him. She had thrown him across the floor and now stood between them, hissing and baring her fangs. She was covered in blood, her skin shredded in multiple places. She looked down at him, glancing at the sword in his hand.

He tossed it to her and she caught it, turning back towards their enemy.

The demon ripped through the thin wall then, into the hallway.

_Oh fuck!_

"No!" She screamed the word, the sound awful and tortured.

She was gone in an instant, her image a blur as she shot out the bedroom door, towards the direction of her grandmother.

Giyu climbed to his feet, his whole body shaking, panting. He flung himself into the hallway, hoping he could at least act as a distraction. He raced towards the old woman's room.

A scream, human, followed by another scream, the demon girl.

He barely caught the scene. The male demon had just reached out, slashing the old woman's throat with his talons, as the demon girl's sword sliced cleanly through his neck.

His head made a dense thud as it collided with the floor and his body dissolved into ash.

The sword clattered against the wood.

The demon girl stood frozen, mouth hanging open in horror and disbelief as she watched blood spurt from her grandmother's arteries. The old woman started to fall backwards, and she finally moved, catching her frail body. She pressed her hand to the old woman's neck, blood weeping between her fingers. The demon looked wildly at her grandmother's face, her lips moving but no words coming out.

Giyu remained in the doorway, watching them with an unreadable expression. Nothing could be done to save her, she would die.

She began to cry; indescribable sounds of pain and fear assaulted his eardrums.

"Baba… please."

The old woman couldn't speak, she could only clutch her grandchild with a terrified gaze.

She continued to beg her grandmother not to die, until she suffocated on her own fluids, and ceased breathing.

He collapsed then, what was left of his strength finally drained of him. He was breathless, his vision swimming and mind dancing on the edge on unconsciousness. Time was suspended as the demon girl silently held the dead body, trembling.

Then her head audibly snapped towards him, rivers of tears steaked through the layers of blood dried on her face. "_You." _Her tone was pure venom.

_Shit. _He watched her closely with narrowed eyes.

"This is _your _fault!" She screeched at him accusingly.

He didn't say anything, his face neutral. The sword was still close to her, there was no way he could reach it before her.

She launched at him; all he could do was brace for impact.

She clashed into him, both rolling as they threw their weight around. She managed to pin him for a moment and tried to punch him in the jaw, but he blocked her. He kicked her in the torso, and she flew over his head. She quickly scrambled to her feet and grabbed the fabric of his shirt, tossing him further down the hall. When he slid to a stop, she was sprinting towards him, leaping onto his chest. She closed her hands around his neck, focusing all her strength on squeezing his throat.

He gasped for air, his muscles giving up on him as he failed to push her off. He wasn't recovered enough for this; he wouldn't be able to stop her.

Suddenly, she was being propelled off of him, he choked and coughed as he sat up on his elbow, a flash of a familiar pink and white kimono zooming past him. He reached out and grabbed a fistful of the fabric, the uniform going taught against Shinobu's front, successfully halting her advance. The insect hashira would kill her.

Shinobi regarded him with her signature, strange smile. "Giyu. What have you gotten yourself into?"

He ignored her playful tone. "Don't kill her."

The female warrior pulled free of him, and easily captured the demon girl who had run straight into her grasp. She restrained the raging creature with little effort and raised her poisoned blade to the demon's neck.

She arched a perfectly manicured brow at him, purple irises shining. "Oh? Why shouldn't I?"

"She's like Tanjiro's demon sister."

She giggled. "I've never seen Nezuko try to choke the life out of anyone before."

He stifled an irritated groan; he didn't have it in him to beg. "She just lost her human grandmother."

He watched her struggle in the demon slayer's grip, scratching and clawing like a typical demon. Her eyes were still venomous, and she was snarling like an animal. He realized it would be hard to convince Shinobu she resembled a human earlier that day. Even as the demon girl tried to kill him, she hadn't expressed any interest in devouring him. She still had potential, even if her cooperation would be considerably less likely than before.

Giyu winced as he realized his broken leg was throbbing with intense pain. "You have to trust me. I intend to take her back to Kagaya and let him decide her fate."

Shinobu almost frowned at him, he was sure for a moment she had decided to ignore his wishes, but instead she struck the demon in the back of the head. Knocking her out, not killing her. "Oh Giyu, if you're not careful people will start to think you've got a thing for young demon girls."

His expression looked almost bored. He was still sitting on the floor, unable to gather enough energy or strength to stand. "Just tell me you brought some medicine."

They sat together some time later, after Shinobu buried the grandmother's body and moved the comatose demon to a seperate room. The manor had indeed been able to decode his crow's poor translation of his request for backup and medical aid. Giyu filled Shinobu in on the whole experience, emphasizing that the demon girl had probably saved his life twice now.

"Still, I have a very strong feeling she would have killed you if I hadn't arrived when I did. That poison really did a number on you."

He had to agree with her there. He was on his back, laying on the floor, one arm draped tiredly over his eyes. The medicine from the manor was working exponentially faster to repair his depleted body than the old woman's salves and the crude splint, but he was dog tired.

"I would offer to help take her back, but I have an urgent mission north of here. I can only afford to stay until you've recovered."

He shrugged. "I can manage."

"At least she'll be unconscious."

They guessed she was like Tanjiro's sister and drew her energy from sleeping versus devouring humans. Nezuko could sleep for weeks at a time. Now that she had suffered multiple wounds and been in several fights, he imagined she would be out for a while.

"I'll wait to leave until she wakes up."

"Oh?"

"She is like Nezuko in the way that she was bonded to a human. Now that her grandmother is dead… I have to make sure she hasn't changed. If I take her back to the manor and she loses control when she wakes, I will look like a fool. Or they will think I'm mad."

Shinobu laughed. "I'm afraid they already think that Giyu."

He frowned at her. "What do you think?"

She sighed. "I think we've tried things our way for a very long time and made little progress. And I think you were right about Nezuko."

Their conversation basically ended there. He was tired and decided to turn in for the night. For the first time in almost a week he didn't have to force his concentration breathing. His body was already returning to normal.

As Giyu lay half awake, he offered a short, respectful prayer on behalf of the grandmother. The demon slayer was mostly unaffected by the death of the old woman. He was grateful for her help, but he couldn't allow himself to grieve for her, even a little. Grieving was a waste of time. It didn't bring anyone back, it just slowed you down and made you vulnerable, or stupid. The demon girl blamed him for her grandmother's tragic demise, but the truth was destiny was inevitable. From the time the old woman was born, it had always been her fate to die at the hands of that demon. It was just like when he first met Tanjiro, how weak the boy had been after the massacre of his family. If she couldn't learn to channel the way loss affected her into her purpose, she would die too.

He hadn't forgotten her demon blood art, or her ability to withstand the sunlight. Giyu also hadn't forgotten the upper demon moon he had defeated, that he wasn't the only one tracking her. He had no choice after all he had witnessed, he had to find out why. There was no way it was a coincidence. He hoped when she woke, she would prove to be the same demon he encountered in the clearing. One who was willing to protect and serve humans.

* * *

Six days had passed since the night Shinobu had come to Giyu's aid.

It was more than enough time for the medication Shinobu brought to heal his leg and eradicate the poison left in his system. She only stayed with him for two days, by then he could fight his own battles again. He felt completely restored. To say it fulfilled him to be able to practice breath of water forms again couldn't be overstated. He eventually found his sword in a hollow tree, not too far from the house. Unlike the old woman, he didn't hide the grandfather's relic of a weapon from the demon, opting instead to place it right next to her for when she woke. She didn't stand a chance against him as he was now, fully healed. He decided if she were going to try attacking him again, they ought to get it over with right away. He could only give a demon so many second chances, a line had to be drawn somewhere.

He frequently checked the slumbering demon, but there were never any changes, aside from her copious amount of wounds healing. He was growing impatient already, waiting on her to wake up. Nothing he'd tried had been successful. He shaken her, stabbed her straight through the hand, waved his own blood right underneath her nose. She may as well have been dead. He had been told Nezuko once slept for multiple months straight, he wasn't willing to wait quite that long.

So he was surprised and a bit relieved, when on the sixth day, the demon girl woke.

He waited for her to meet him outside where he had been practicing forms, the sunlight peppering the ground through the tree limbs and clouds.

She emerged from the open door, sword in hand, the tip of the blade dragging behind her against the floor. He watched her passively as she came to a stop on the edge of the porch, curious as to what she would do next. Her hair was cropped short now, something he had noticed the night of the attack, and was matted with blood. Her hands, face, and neck were also coated in dry gore. And she had changed into her grandfather's old uniform.

Her face was a picture of… emptiness.

She lifted her gaze to him, her voice cracking. "She's gone."

He only nodded.

She looked around groggily, and then back at him, tears shining in her otherwise muted eyes. "Where?"

He knew she was asking about the body, so he pointed to the nearly week old grave off the side of the home, Shinobu had the forethought to bury her next to her husband, who's grave was marked.

She followed the direction of his finger, her blank eyes landing on the patch of dirty snow. She blinked slowly, her breathing strangely labored. "I let her die."

Giyu waited for a beat. "You have to make a choice. You will come with me, back to the Ubuyashiki Manor, where you will be put on trial to determine your fate." She looked confused, as if she weren't keeping up. He continued anyway. "Your second choice, if you refuse, is to die by my hand."

She blinked again, swaying a bit on her feet. Slowly, she began descending the steps, her sword clanging loudly as it was dropped from one level to the next; but instead of coming to him, she went towards her grandmother's grave, where she collapsed to her knees. She curled her fingers into the loose dirt.

"I thought we would have more time… I thought I could protect her." She was mumbling to the wind, to herself, not speaking to him.

It had been easier to feel empathy for Tanjiro, who was human, he found the demon's pain did not stir his heart.

"You must decide. I've waited long enough."

The chilly breeze whispered softly between them.

"I refuse to go with you. So, kill me."

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A/N:

Very sad and angsty chapter, I know. I felt killing grandma Koharu was necessary for Hanako's character development. I wrote this chapter experimenting with 2 different scenarios and decided this was still the right choice. Hanako needs a catalyst, if you will. She's going to have to learn how to function as a demon on her own, without a crutch. I really enjoyed writing this one! I also had fun allowing our favorite insect Hashira to have her (albeit brief) moment in the spotlight. Giyu has finally regained his strength, after being poisoned by an upper demon moon (I know, I have a hard time buying it too, but it's over now so we can all move on). It is mostly likely we will never see him this weak again, so rest assured, I will disrespect Senor Tomioka no more! If it feels like the pace is a little quick for some of the scenes, that was sort of my intention. I wanted it all to seem like it happened fast, much like it feels to be in a car accident. Anyway, I really appreciate you taking your time to read, follow, favorite, and review. Thank you for stopping by!


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